


Day One Hundred Seventy-Six || Show No Fear

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [176]
Category: Naruto, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blood and Gore, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 02:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19368178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: When Sasuke and Hinata encounter an unexpected threat during their training, he attempts to give her some sound advice...but as usual, that backfires on him.





	Day One Hundred Seventy-Six || Show No Fear

Though not one of the land’s monster hunters, Sasuke’s come face to face with a beast or two in his time. While nothing’s ever been a true terror - a gryphon, or an ogre, for example - he’s whetted his blade with beastly blood more than once.

He’d considered doing so on contract before setting out with his current band of companions. A way to make some coin to help his family, perhaps find a decent herbalist or medic for his brother. He’s been skilled with a blade since young, and a bow too when the time calls for it. Add in his igni bloodline, and he’s a formidable foe for many a creature: even those with ven like his own.

But instead, he’s been traveling with a group of other ven wielders: his brother, a lux mage to heal him, and an aqua mage. All in order to get back to the abandoned capital of the lands once claimed by the disciples of Luxeria.

And their travels haven’t been all a cake walk. Not by any means. Bandits plague the roads, cities are hosts of dangers, and even beasts have taken the odd shot at them. Mostly common creatures like wolves or bears, but regardless, each is a threat in its own right. Itachi attempts to aid him, but his lingering illness stunts his stamina and strength. The light elf has mighty defenses, but...no real way to attack. Nor does she want to, given her deity’s call for nonviolence. 

That leaves the water mage. He’s been slowly teaching her about their elemental energies and how to harness them, but her actual  _ experience _ is still lacking. Much to her chagrin.

“What about a blade?”

“What?”

“Can you teach me to wield a blade?”

Sasuke perks a dark brow at her. “...do you really want to?”

“Well I need  _ some _ way to defend myself in the meantime, until I can better call upon water!”

That earns a snort. “It will take just as long to learn swordplay. There’s no easy path, Hinata. No shortcuts.”

“Then I just need more training!”

“I’ve been teaching you as much as I can. But travel makes us all weary, and we can’t get overly tired. If a threat shows up -”

“You need to be ready, I know, I know…” She huffs a curt breath. “...I still managed to slay that ogre.”

“That was a stroke of luck.”

“No it wasn’t!”

“Yes, it was. Are you telling me you feel like you could do that again and again without fail? No mistakes? No hesitation?”

Her pause is telling enough.

“...you need more training before you can take more of a mantle in the group’s defense.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“I can’t give you more time than I already am, Hinata. It’s all limited. Time, energy, safety to sit and frolic with magic. I appreciate the want to help, but I can handle it.”

That earns him a cold shoulder that night, everyone too tired to spare time for training, saved instead for taking watches.

The next time they  _ do _ manage to set aside some time to practice, she’s steely-faced and determined, listening with rapt attention. At first, he can’t help but be a little amused. Seeing Hinata so...serious is a far cry from her typical character. Sure, she can be stubborn...but this is a whole new level.

...she really  _ does _ want to master her element.

Half an hour into their lesson, taking a break for water, Sasuke holds up a hand to beg for silence. Keen eyes of red flicker to the nearby treeline, pointed ears perking with attention.

Something is out there.

The pair hold completely still, listening. At first...nothing. But then a twig snaps, and their eyes both flicker to the sound. Two orbs glow in the shadows of the boughs, watching them.

“...don’t panic,” he murmurs, moving slowly to set aside his canteen. Instead, he grips the hilt of his blade. “Show no fear. If we hesitate...it will attack.” He still can’t yet see whatever’s lurking in the wood, but his gut tells him it’s nothing friendly.

“...what should I do?”

“Be prepared to run. I’ll distract it.”

“But- ?”

“But...nothing. Do as I say, Hinata.”

For a moment she swells in indignation, but pauses as a low hiss echoes from between the trunks. Then there’s a rustle. That’s got to be scales...a few different beasts flicker through his mind, but what emerges isn’t among them.

Twelve above...it’s a naga.

Serpentine body slithering across the grass, she gives another hiss, jaw hanging open to an unsettling degree: unhinged and waiting to sink fangs into their flesh. Claw-tipped fingers spread, reaching eagerly. It’s clear enough: she’s risking a confrontation in the hopes of a meal.

Sasuke’s grip tightens on the hilt of his blade, drawn to his front and glinting in the fading afternoon sun. “...get back to camp. Warn the others. I’ll try to stop it here.”

“I can  _ help _ -!”

“Yeah, you can. By going back.”

Body winding, the naga tenses before using the tightened muscles to spring across the remaining distance. The mages leap apart, forcing her attention to split...but not for long. Loosing a volley of fire, Sasuke draws her gaze to him with a taunt.

“This way! Your business is with me, monster…!” Even now he doesn’t succumb to any fear, staring into the beast’s eyes with a glower of his own.

Giving another hiss, she makes to loom toward him, only to screech, back tensing. Behind her, wielding water like a whip, Hinata drives the element against her back. As the monster turns, Sasuke gets a view of the nasty welt along the skin of her human torso.

Does this woman  _ never _ listen to him?! Ever?!

Spewing oaths under his breath, he trades his blade for his bow, setting the string and nocking an arrow. One zings through the air, skimming his enemy’s arm and earning a cry.

The next bolt, drawn quickly, whizzes past her head as she lowers to the ground, sliding along both bellies toward him with alarming speed. Sasuke throws his bow over his shoulder, drawing a dagger at his hip. He counters several slashes of her deadly claws, swiping at her face in an attempt to drive her back.

“Hey!”

Hinata’s cry goes ignored...until a tug yanks the naga backward. Water encases the lower third of her tail, guided by Hinata’s ven. Teeth grit in a snarl, she gives a mighty roar, every ounce of her strength whipping the creature back over. Hands attempt to slow her movement, but the naga is hurtled against a tree, spine concussed around the trunk and knocking the wind from her.

Taking his chance, Sasuke draws his bow once more, firing a bolt. It lands dead center in her gut, an ear-splitting shriek cutting through the air. Ignoring it, he follows up several more until she goes limp.

The mortal pair pant, Hinata making to cautiously approach.

“Don’t.”

Looking back, she watches him draw his sword.

“...kill a snake, and it can still bite.” Aiming his blade, he decapitates the creature with one swift strike.

The jaw gives several searching bites, uttering a last hiss before going still.

Hinata stares in horror.

Clearing the gore from his weapon, Sasuke then retrieves his arrows and does the same with their heads before tucking everything back into place. “...what part of ‘run’ do you not understand?”

“I saved you.  _ Again _ . When are you going to stop doubting me?” Hinata counters, exasperated. “I might be a novice, but it’s clear I’m doing  _ s-something _ right!”

Sheathing his sword, Sasuke scowls. “...you still lack experience. Which means you lack the knowledge to predict a fight well enough to last in one for long. One wrong move, and you could be dead.”

“And how else can I garner experience than by fighting?”

“A naga is not a beginner’s foe!”

“Well we handled it, didn’t we?”

He breathes a curt sigh through his nose, ears pinning. “...you don’t need to throw yourself into every lick of danger. There’s a difference between showing no fear, and disregarding it completely. Fear isn’t something to ignore - it’s something to temper. Being wary will keep you alive. Acting as though you have nothing to lose? Nothing to fear? Is a surefire way to end up dead.”

“...but I wasn’t afraid.”

“And why not?”

She stares at him. “...because you were with me.”

That...leaves him without a retort.

Seeing as much, Hinata moves to collect her gear. “...we better head back. We’ll need rest after...all of that. And we need to make sure the others are okay. There might be something else skulking around wanting to k-kill us.”

Watching her incredulously, Sasuke just shakes his head...and follows.

**Author's Note:**

> Looong day, so I'll be brief.
> 
> More of my original fantasy verse! A random, middle-of-the-story one. That verse hasn't really been in any particular order like some of the others...whoops. Just some random training between mages, no big deal. It's just a naga. No biggie. Nobody got hurt, so...win-win, right?
> 
> C'mon, Sasuke: stop being such a stick in the mud lol
> 
> Anywho...that's all I've got, aha~ Thanks for reading!


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